T14 = Top14 = schools that are considered to have "national" reach, usually consisting (or basically almost always consisting) of Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Chicago, Michigan, Berkeley, UPenn, Duke, Virginia, Northwestern, Cornell, and Georgetown. T3 = Top 3 which has been Yale, Harvard, and Stanford for a long time.

and how much does it really matter? If u stand out in your individual program, does it really matter where you go? I Mean obv. harvard and nyu are a step above, but those people have been studying for law school since they were like 5, theres no chance of me getting in the top 5%-10% there. At a different school I could see it though.

The short of it? You don't know. All law schools are tough. Sure, I guess it gets a little easier when you get to the schools ranked way lower because there's a higher percentage of weaker students, but the reality is that the top schools are actually a little easier -- for the most part (with some exceptions), they're not quite as rigorous, and since almost the whole class is assured of a decent job, the pressure is also reduced.

It does matter where you go, though. Even a standout at a T3 school (top 5%) is going to struggle against a mediocre student from the top three (HYS).

You find this information from USNews and hanging out on these boards for forever.

Pretty good info.Probably the only intelligent answers i have found on this issue since attempting to search through the maze and that other board with answers like don't bother going to law school even if that's your passion in life unless you get into a tier 1 or 2. I've been trying to figure if it's better to go to a tier 2 PT in my home area or am I better off going to a tier 3 or 4 away from home even if the later is less known in my area and offering significant $$$'s. Not sure if big law is absolutel what i want yet but "mid-law" (decent regional firm) is at least where i'd like to begin my career. Have interned for a sizale regional law firm for past two years and found the partners and associates great to work with and have been great mentors. Any thoughts?

Generally, with few exceptions, the lower the school is ranked, the lower its national pull. In other words, lower rank = more regionally specific. If you want a more comfortable shot at mid-law, a higher ranked school would probably be your better bet.

The REAL question is, what can you afford? If you go to a lower ranked school, you'll save money, but you'll start at a lower average salary. You need to be comfortable entering at that low salary before you start. It doesn't mean you CAN'T hit mid or big law from a T3 or T4, but your chances are substantially reduced the further down the USNews ladder you go (again, with a few exceptions).

Even a "decent regional firm" will be difficult to hit in a congested market where T3s are competing with a few T1s and T2s. If they're in less congested markets, or ones where they're alone, then your chances rise considerably. You need to be more specific about the schools you're choosing between.

Generally, with few exceptions, the lower the school is ranked, the lower its national pull. In other words, lower rank = more regionally specific. If you want a more comfortable shot at mid-law, a higher ranked school would probably be your better bet.

The REAL question is, what can you afford? If you go to a lower ranked school, you'll save money, but you'll start at a lower average salary. You need to be comfortable entering at that low salary before you start. It doesn't mean you CAN'T hit mid or big law from a T3 or T4, but your chances are substantially reduced the further down the USNews ladder you go (again, with a few exceptions).

Even a "decent regional firm" will be difficult to hit in a congested market where T3s are competing with a few T1s and T2s. If they're in less congested markets, or ones where they're alone, then your chances rise considerably. You need to be more specific about the schools you're choosing between.

Isnt it all relative though? If you get top 15% of your class, regardless of where you go, you should be able to get a decent job anywhere. No?

Generally, with few exceptions, the lower the school is ranked, the lower its national pull. In other words, lower rank = more regionally specific. If you want a more comfortable shot at mid-law, a higher ranked school would probably be your better bet.

The REAL question is, what can you afford? If you go to a lower ranked school, you'll save money, but you'll start at a lower average salary. You need to be comfortable entering at that low salary before you start. It doesn't mean you CAN'T hit mid or big law from a T3 or T4, but your chances are substantially reduced the further down the USNews ladder you go (again, with a few exceptions).

Even a "decent regional firm" will be difficult to hit in a congested market where T3s are competing with a few T1s and T2s. If they're in less congested markets, or ones where they're alone, then your chances rise considerably. You need to be more specific about the schools you're choosing between.

Isnt it all relative though? If you get top 15% of your class, regardless of where you go, you should be able to get a decent job anywhere. No?

Umm, maybe. But the point here is that, were you to attend, say, Catholic in DC, you'd NEED to be top 10-15% to make BigLaw (or probably even most of MidLaw), whereas you'd only NEED to be above the bottom third of the class at Georgetown.

Rule #1: Never count on being top 15% at any school. Ever. No matter how well you did in everything else you ever did before. Ever.

Generally, with few exceptions, the lower the school is ranked, the lower its national pull. In other words, lower rank = more regionally specific. If you want a more comfortable shot at mid-law, a higher ranked school would probably be your better bet.

The REAL question is, what can you afford? If you go to a lower ranked school, you'll save money, but you'll start at a lower average salary. You need to be comfortable entering at that low salary before you start. It doesn't mean you CAN'T hit mid or big law from a T3 or T4, but your chances are substantially reduced the further down the USNews ladder you go (again, with a few exceptions).

Even a "decent regional firm" will be difficult to hit in a congested market where T3s are competing with a few T1s and T2s. If they're in less congested markets, or ones where they're alone, then your chances rise considerably. You need to be more specific about the schools you're choosing between.

Isnt it all relative though? If you get top 15% of your class, regardless of where you go, you should be able to get a decent job anywhere. No?

Umm, maybe. But the point here is that, were you to attend, say, Catholic in DC, you'd NEED to be top 10-15% to make BigLaw (or probably even most of MidLaw), whereas you'd only NEED to be above the bottom third of the class at Georgetown.

Rule #1: Never count on being top 15% at any school. Ever. No matter how well you did in everything else you ever did before. Ever.

I keep asking questions about the top 15% of a class, or making statements and everyone automatically assumes that I am talking about myself or trying to say I'm going to be in the top 15% of any class at any school I go to. I am not holding out some false hope that I am going to go to law school and get straight A's, I hope that I'm not coming off sounding like that. That would be utterly douchey, cocky and arrogant. I do not know what law school is going to be like, I am just looking forward to it.

But, I think that if you want something, and you try hard enough at it...you can do anything you want. Top 15% anywhere.